I Hate Everything About You
by Dark as Daylight
Summary: Now the seishi have a nice little visitor with them, and they are none too pleased! But what are his intentions with them? I'll keep the rating and the suspense high for now. Chapter 4 up now, finally.
1. Part 1: Senseless Fighting

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi or Chichiri. I wish I did, though.

The snow fell steadily upon Hokkan. Under normal circumstances, this would be nothing out of the ordinary. But most of the Suzaku seishi, save the emperor and their Miko, were trapped somewhere in a cabin in the middle of the vast snowy wasteland.

"How long do you think we'll be stuck here?" Nuriko questioned.

Natually, they all turned to boy genius Chiriko. The child thought a moment. "... Well... snowstorms in Hokkan usually last anywhere from a few days to a few months, so-"

"A FEW MONTHS?!? We ain't got that kinda time!" Tasuki protested. "Ain't there any way t' get out?!?"

"I'm afraid not. That would prove suicidal," Chiriko replied, and Tasuki fell silent.

"Our best bet is to wait here and hope it dies down, no da," Chichiri inquired. "I'll go and inform His Majesty, no da." The monk left upstairs to his room.

Tamahome sat alone in a corner. Mitsukake was nowhere to be found at the moment. A humbled Nuriko drifted into the kitchen. A wave of anxiety had descended upon the seishi. The flame-headed bandit sank into a chair, his face in his hands. "Snow's no better'n water..." came from behind his hands.

Chiriko replied with, "Actually, Tasuki, snow IS water. See, the rain-"

"I didn' ask for none o' yer damn explainations! I wan' ta get outta here!"

"Then why don't you quit complaining and think? Stop wasting your time, flame-brain." Tamahome was standing behind him. "We ALL want to leave, and we don't want to hear your whining."

Tasuki muttered something about a bitter virgin in response, and ate chair before he could finish. Tamahome's face was flushed bright red, his kanji gleaming on his forehead. The bandit, bleeding and furious, rose slowly, a terrifying look in his eyes. "I ain't gonna take this crap anymore! Not from you, ghost-boy!" His fist went flying into Tamahome's stomach, and the warrior doubled over, gasping and coughing. "Maybe that'll teach ya."

Tamahome, quick as lightning, tripped the bandit leader before he could walk away. Pinning him down, he wrapped his hands around Tasuki's throat. The bandit was too well-pinned to retailiate, and his face was slowly turning purple. Chiriko, scared as he was, ran for Nuriko. The cross-dresser burst in and tore Tamahome away with relative ease. But it was keeping the two seishi from ripping the other to pieces that proved difficult. While Nuriko held Tamahome back, Mitsukake came down and struggled with Tasuki. Poor Nuriko was shocked at the two of them. "What are you doing?!?" she shrieked. "You shouldn't be fighting each other! Now cut it out or I'll knock your heads together!!!" The thrashing seishi calmed down and were released. "I'm watching you two," she warned, and left the room again.

Tasuki, now able to breathe, glared at Tamahome and showed his fangs in a snarl. "Watch yer back, Tama-boy." He walked away upstairs, leaving Tamahome to fume in his mind.

Mitsukake watched Tasuki leave, and made sure he was out of earshot, then said, "Perhaps it's best if you two stayed away from each other."

Tamahome glared. "I can see that for myself." The healer looked towards a pale Chiriko in the corner. The boy was shaking out of fear. "What's the matter with you?" Tama demanded, perhaps a bit harsher than he'd intended for the child.

"... WAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Chiriko started to cry behind his hands. "I don't like it when grown-ups fight!!!" he whimpered. His kanji was nowhere to be seen. He ran to Mitsukake in fright of Tamahome.

The healer took a look at Chiriko, then looked at Tama. "Fighting amongst ourselves will tear us apart. We're all here to protect Miaka. I think you should apologize to Tasuki before it gets worse."

Obviously, Tamahome had no intention of doing this before, but Mitsukake gave him a look, and he reluctantly went upstairs to seek out the bandit. Chichiri met him in the hall, and the usually cheery monk gave him a frown. "Tasuki told me what happened, no da. What's the matter with you?"

"I'm going to apologize, Chichiri," the warrior muttered.

The blue-haired monk smiled. "That's better, no da. Fights among us aren't good. You wouldn't like it if I tried to hurt you, would you, Tamahome? No da?"

This thought made Tamahome sweatdrop. "... No," he answered.

"Then go and apologize to Tasuki, no da. We're all a little tense because of the storm. There's no need to take it out on anybody, no da." Chichiri put a comforting hand on Tama's shoulder, then left.

Tamahome took a deep breath, then knocked on Tasuki's bedroom door. "Tasuki? You in there?" No reply. "Come on, I know you're in there. I want to apologize."

The door opened slightly, and Tasuki's head peered out from behind it. "Whaddaya want this time?"

"Don't be like that, Tasuki. I just want to say I'm sorry... I didn't mean to-"

"Don' lie ta me! You almost KILL me, then ya wanna say yer sorry?!? D'you think I'm gonna forgive ya that easily?!? Y'already showed me ya don' give a damn about me." With that, he slammed the door shut.

"Tasuki! Don't act like that! We're supposed to work together to protect Miaka! I overreacted!" Tamahome pounded on the door.

"Whaddaya wan' me t' do?!? Open the door so y'can finish the job?!? Go away!!!" came the bandit's voice from within.

"Tasuki, please! I don't want to kill you! I never wanted to!"

This was a mistake. The door suddenly flew open, and an enraged Tasuki screamed out, "Don't tell me ya never wanted ta kill me, y' lyin' bastard!!!! I don' care if y' were drugged and can't remember it, but y' already showed me what ya think!!!"

The wall then had a nice Tamahome-shaped scorch outline in it, and the bandit leader shut himself in his room again. Nursing his burned body, Tamahome gave up and went to his own room.

Okay, so yeah, it's not that good, no da. But it'll get better, I promise! R R. please and thank you.


	2. Part 2: First Victim

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi or Chichiri. Wish I did, tho.

The next day was too quiet to not be suspicious. That night, Chichiri sensed that something was indeed amiss, since Tasuki was being oddly quiet and withdrawn. He had not left his room since he was attacked, and nothing could lure him out again. The monk knocked on Tasuki's door. "Tasuki? Are you okay, no da?" Of course, there was no answer. "Tasuki, you have to come out sometime. You'll make yourself sick, no da." Silence. "... Well, some food is ready if you're hungry... Please come out, Tasuki, no da. We're all worried." Chichiri concluded that the bandit wouldn't budge, so he left.

An ear-splitting scream came from upstairs, and no one could scream like that unless something truly horrible happened. All the other seishi, except Tasuki, raced to find the Nuriko in the bathroom. Her eyes were bugging out at the bathtub. Chichiri peered at the tub while everyone else tended to Nuriko, who was too shocked to explain.

The monk couldn't find anything abnormal. The curtains were closed as they were the other night, and had no signs of being moved previously. Then his eyes drifted down the sides of the tub, and a red gleam shone back at him. Chichiri walked closer and stared. No... it... it couldn't be that...

Quick as a flash, the monk opened the curtains and almost passed out. Tamahome was half-sitting, half-lying in the bathtub, in what could be assumed a pool of his own blood. His throat was slit wide open, his eyes open as well, with the empty terror that comes after death. A few drops of blood still dripped down Tamahome's split neck

Chichiri immediately looked around the rest of the bathroom. There was not a single spot of blood anywhere, so the crime must have been either committed in the tub itself, or the excess blood was cleaned up without a trace. The lone drop that had managed to find it's way out gave no clue. The blue-haired seishi removed his mask to show respect and fought the urge to gag.

Nuriko was now in tears, crying hysterically and saying unintelligible things. Mitsukake walked over and peered into the bathtub, then immediately turned away. He led Chiriko, who still hadn't regained his kanji, out of sight of Tamahome. Chichiri then wondered if Tasuki knew. He turned to the babbling Nuriko and guided her out, then made way to Tasuki's room. He didn't bother to knock; he just turned the knob to see it unlocked, walked in, grabbed the bandit by the collar, and dragged him into the bathroom. "Look in the tub, no da," he managed to choke out.

Tasuki walked up and saw the warrior in all his bloody glory. Tasuki covered his mouth and staggered backwards into the opposite wall. "Wh... What..." he tried to speak, but instead he simply keeled over and vomited profusely.

Chichiri's face moved at the stench of it, combined with that of death and blood, and helped the shaking bandit leader to stand. "... Feel better, no da?" was all he could bring himself to say.

Tasuki's eyes met his, and Chichiri saw genuine fear. "'Chiri... what... what happened?" the flame-haired seishi whispered.

"I'm not sure, no da."

Tasuki fell silent, still as pale as ever, despite his well-tanned skin. Then he suddenly pounded the wall with a fist, making pieces fly everywhere. "It... 's my fault..."

"Don't be ridiculous, no da! You didn't... do this."

"'S not what I meant! He must've killed 'imself cuz of th' fight last night... D... dammit..." Tasuki slid onto the ground. "'S my fault... my fault..." he kept muttering. "He apologized t' me, an' I wouldn' listen... now he's dead... DAMMIT!!!"

Chichiri could only look on as his comrade let out his rage and frustration on the wall. Dust and wood went every which way. Finally, he thought Tasuki had let out enough. He put a spell on him to make him unable to move. "Tasuki, it's not your fault, no da. Don't be so hard on yourself."

"D... Don' tell me it wasn' my fault... Now lemme go."

The monk paused a moment. "You're so stubborn, no da." He released the bandit, who slumped to his knees in tears and defeat. "... ... But at least you let your feelings show, no da... Instead of hiding them." He helped Tasuki onto his feet and slipped his mask back into place.

The bandit wiped his eyes. "Alright..." Tasuki made his way to the bathtub and closed the curtains. "... Chichiri."

"Hai?"

"... Who's gonna tell Miaka?"

Chichiri hadn't considered this. But now that he thought about it, Miaka would be devastated. "... I... I'm not sure, no da. And His Majesty must know as well..."

"... I'll do it." Tasuki turned to look at the monk, who was indeed surprised. "I'll tell 'em both. I'll tell 'em everythin' that happened..." When he saw the look of slight confusion upon Chichiri's face, he added, "I may be a bandit, but I gotta sense of respect... Least I c'n do fer Ta-" The rest of the name came out in a choking noise, and he left the bathroom.

"... Tasuki..."

Okay, so that chapter was a lot more interesting than the first- well, in my opinion. And it's just going to get moreso, no da!


	3. Part 3: Surprising or not Guest

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi or Chichiri. Wish I did, tho...

Nuriko had broken down completely, and poor Tasuki was trying to calm her down. Chiriko had not stopped his constant sniffling, either. Mitsukake was silent, as usual. They all looked up when Chichiri came down... carrying Tamahome's blood-stained body. "... We should at least bury him, no da," he muttered.

Tamahome was carefully laid on the table. Mitsukake healed his wounds and gently closed Tama's eyelids, to cover the look of terror that haunted them all. Chichiri commenced his blessings, but Chiriko interrupted. "... Where are we going to bury him? We cannot go out in this weather."

Chichiri stopped and looked at the child. "... That's true, no da..."

But before any of them could think, a voice cut the silence. "What a pity for Tamahome... such a sudden death." Everyone whipped around to find none other than Nakago glide out of the shadows. "Why the looks of contempt? I've come to pay respects," he said and grinned.

Tasuki got to his feet and glared. "What th' hell're you doin' here?"

"You really shouldn't swear like that... Tasuki, isn't it?" The bandit curled his lip in response. "Then I am correct in saying you must be terribly upset about this... unfortunate situation?"

Tasuki was stunned, but let no signs of it show to the Seiryu warrior. "Whaddaya mean?"

"Your little argument, of course."

"How th' hell would you know?!?"

"I have been here for several days. Yet it was pointless to reveal myself until the right time came."

Chichiri had also gotten up. "You did this, didn't you, no da?"

Nakago grinned again. "I am afraid not. Though I must commend whichever of you did."

The Suzaku seishi looked at each other nervously. They all knew Nakago must be lying. "Y... You're wrong... None of us would kill Tamahome, no da."

"It's easy to say that, isn't it?" The Seiryu seishi came closer to Chichiri. "You are the only man ever to break my wards... But I am getting off of the subject. I will bury Tamahome." He went to get the body, but Tasuki and Nuriko stood in his way.

"You're not touching him," Nuriko exclaimed, "without going through us!" Her armlets reappeared, and Tasuki held out his tessen, ready to fight Nakago.

But Nakago didn't attack. He only smiled again and said, "As you wish..." He grabbed Chichiri by the wrists. "Now, really, would you want anything to happen to him? Move and I shall release him."

The grip on his wrists were too strong for the monk to break. He didn't understand why Nakago had suddenly focused on him. Was he merely a replacement target since Tamahome was gone? "D- daaaaa!!" he struggled against the warrior to no avail.

Tasuki and Nuriko looked at each other and nodded. They didn't want to be responsible for another possible death among them, so they moved aside. Nakago let Chichiri go and picked up Tamahome's lifeless body. "... Indeed... such a pity... I had grown fond of tormenting him..."

Chichiri tightened the grip on his bamboo staff as Nakago actually went outside in the snowstorm. Nuriko closed and locked the door behind him. "... He can't do anything to him, anyway... N-not anymore..." She put on a forced grin and turned to the others. "M-maybe he'll leave us alone now that he took Tama-baby..." Nuriko broke down once more and fell to the floor in tears. Then she suddenly stopped and got up. "I want to know who did this..."

"... We all do, no da," Chichiri sighed.

"Th-that bastard's gotta be lyin'..." Tasuki's hands were clenched into tight fists. "None of us'd ever wanna kill another... right?" He looked around at his fellow seishi. They all nodded in agreement.

A pounding at the door startled them. Nuriko sweatdropped. "... Should we open it?"

"Of course not! What if it's Nakago, no da?" Chichiri exclaimed.

"But why would be come back?" No one could answer. Then all of the sudden, Nuriko's entire aura changed. "Evreyone, be on your guard. I'm opening the door," she warned in a steady voice. Chiriko, who's kanji was out of control now, ran upstairs. Mitsukake, Tasuki, and Chichiri stood firmly, ready to attack should the time come. Nuriko slowly unlocked the door, and a snowy Nakago burst in.

He brushed himself off and looked around. "Why so tense? I gave him a proper burial, I can assure you."

"Words coming from you are useless," Nuriko replied.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Now, is that any way to treat a guest? After I buried your beloved Tamahome?"

No one knew if he was telling the truth. "How do we know you actually buried him like you said you would?" Nuriko asked carefully, ready to pounce if she had to.

"Would you want to go outside to look?" She fell silent. "I thought so. You all can trust my word. I have no reason to kill any of you... and I am always a man of my word... yet I wonder..."

"About what?"

"...Why one of YOU would kill him?" Nakago looked at each of them.

"... Don't be a fool! None of US killed him!"

The Seiryu chosen laughed. "Yes, it is always easy to place blame on an enemy. It's so difficult to blame a friend." Silence. "I will want to stay to see how this plays out. I bid you all good night." He bowed before them and went upstairs.

Tasuki stood, twitching in anger. "That... son of a..."

Nuriko put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down. There's not much we can do for now. He hasn't done anything yet that we can be sure of."

"What're ya sayin', Nuriko?!? That one of us killed Tamahome?!?"

"No. I just think Nakago may be telling the truth..."

"Then... d'ya think there're other Seiryu warriors here?"

"No, no da. I can't sense any presence of them, no da," Chichiri answered.

Tasuki lowered his fists. "I don' trust 'im. An' ya can't make me."

"None of us trust him. But we can't do anything until he tells us, no da. We should all get some sleep... but someone should stay awake in case something else happens, no da."

"I'll do it," Tasuki volunteered. "If he does anythin' suspicious, I'll wake y'all up."

(A/N: Now you can all take your guess about who's done the killing around here! Seriously, go ahead... I'm curious to see, no da!)


	4. Part 4: A Promise Made

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi or Chichiri. Wish I did, tho.

_"Every time we lie awake  
__After every hit we take..."_

Everyone but Tasuki went upstairs to try and get some sleep after everything that had happened. Chichiri reached his room and opened the door to find Nakago sleeping in his bed. The monk sweatdropped. Why, of all places to sleep, did Nakago have to pick HIS room?

But Nakago was not asleep, for his voice came through the darkness as it had before. "Hmm... why aren't you going to bed? You've been through a lot today, so it seems."

Chichiri became very nervous at that point. "... B-because you're i-in my bed, no da..."

He paused. "Ah, I thought this room was unoccupied..." The warrior got up. "Please forgive me..." He then muttered something that Chichiri couldn't hear. The monk mentally made sure he didn't create a spell and that everything was as normal as they could get. "I shall find another room... Chichiri." he left, but not before turning to take a look at the monk, perhaps to study him for a sign of weakness.

Chichiri closed and locked the door behind him. "... DAAAAAAAA..." That was indeed a scary sight, seeing Nakago in your bed, especially if he's not sleeping. A few minutes later, the monk tried going to sleep, but it was no use. The bed felt like it had been contaminated after Nakago had lied in it. He then made a decision to sleep in Tasuki's room, sincce the bandit was staying awake. But Nakago may suspect something, so Chichiri used his metamorphosis technique to change into Tasuki. He then made his way to the bandit's room... only to once again find Nakago in the room, but not in the bed yet... hopefully. Chichiri tried to act as though nothing was wrong. "... Wh-what are you doing here?" He almost said 'no da', but caught himself.

Nakago looked as though he didn't notice any change at all. "Changed your mind about 'keeping guard', then, _Tasuki_?"

"... Yeah." Chichiri tried not to fidget at the fact that he had placed careful emphasis on the name.

"... How foolish do you think I must be? I can sense that you are not at all that... that CHILDISH idiot." The monk said nothing. "Hn. Take the disguise off." Chichiri didn't move. "As you wish..." He shut his eyes and concentrated, and Chichiri could feel his fake identity fading quickly. Nakago swiftly walked the length of the room towards the monk and hit him across the face. The blue-haired seishi said nothing still. "That is for irritating me with the fake presence of... _him_..." Nakago gave a look of disgust at the thought of Tasuki.

"Why are you really here, no da?" Chichiri tried so hard not to look into Nakago's eyes, but that seemed to be exactly what the Seiryu chosen wanted from him: fear.

"I know exactly who murdered your Tamahome. But I shall not reveal whom... Now, why are you so tense? You should be beyond that sort of thing around me. I have done no harm directly to you, now, have I?"

"Answer me."

"... ... ... No... no, you haven't."

Nakago smiled. "Precisely. Now I'll expect you to be a little more considerate towards me, dear Houjun... or the consequence will worsen for you and your friends. Do you understand me?"

"... Y-You disgust me, no da."

"Now, why do I disgust you?"

"I won't play into your hands, no da! And neither will the others!" How Chichiri wished he had grabbed his bamboo staff!

The blonde seishi tipped the monk's head up. "Oh, but you already have... I have plans for you if you do not cooperate with me."

Chichiri shook with anger or fear, he couldn't determine which. "... Get out of my sight, no da."

"This is not your room."

"It's not yours either."

They glared at each other for a bit. "... Very well. If you wish to sleep in here, I shall adjust accordingly."

Adjust accordingly? Chichiri wondered. I don't like the sound of that, no da...

"If you keep our little encounter quiet, I shall give you no trouble."

He didn't want to make any kind of agreement with Nakago, but the blue-haired seishi replied, "... Fine, no da. Now get out."

"... And one more thing... I will give you an idea of what will happen if you break our promise, Houjun..."

(A/N: Sorry if that sounded so yaoi-ish... but think about it, we all know how Nakago acts. He'll do anything to get what he wants.)


End file.
